You’re in a great conversation with a potential client, and it’s clear that they want to hire you. However, when you start speaking about the various costs, their excitement sinks a little bit, and they say: “I can’t afford you.”

Instead of letting the conversation fizzle out, there are actually several powerful questions that you can ask your potential client. These questions are all meant to assist them in finding or creating the money to hire you.

*And, these ideas aren’t pushy at all (because you should never force someone to work with you.)

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and author of the forthcoming book, A Woman‘sTreasure: Grow A Business Where Making Money Feels Like Bliss. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television and radio, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. She has presented at Rick Steves Europe, United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

For entrepreneurs who sell services for $30 – $100 an hour, and entrepreneurs who sell individual items that cost under $30

Many of us have been trained to sell services and products in this way, where our clients purchase one item or appointment at a time. That’s how I started out. When I was 11 years old, I crafted jewelry and sold it at summertime festivals. But….it took a lot of time to make the jewelry, set up the booth, and to then sell each individual piece. When I started working in the holistic health field in 2009, many of the people in my industry sold one-time appointments, with the hope (but no guarantee) that their client would return. I gave that a try too.

These days, I’m enamored with a different way of selling – a process where we likely only have to make ONE sale a month, and the income from that ONE sale lets us live a very comfortable life.

Let’s use the example of a cafe, which sells coffee, hot tea, and iced lemonade for the hot summer months. Every single cup of coffee sold is a mini sale, where the barista must engage with a customer, educate them about what’s for sale, and answer questions. Then, hopefully, the customer will react favorably, and purchase something, and then come back for more on another day. A purchase at most cafes ranges from about $3 to $30, depending on if you have guests visiting, or if you want to sip on a fancy blended drink for the afternoon.

But what if that barista or café owner could have just ONE conversation, with one person, that leads to $10,000+ worth of drinks being sold?!

It takes a lot less time to have that one conversation – much quicker than the thousands of mini sales conversations.

This kind of approach (where you focus on connecting to larger contracts) works for all kinds of industries – health and wellness, photography, designers, cleaning services, food providers, floral shops, and many others.

Now, of course there is a place for selling one-off items, like the photographer who sells one photo shoot, or a print at a local fair. Or the health practitioner who hosts a one-time workshop, where they meet several new potential patients who end up sticking around with them for years.

But still…..it’s very intriguing to look at how your business can create an offering for more than $10,000, and how you can sell it through one or two conversations.

It’s a mind shift. You’ll have to think a bit differently, and you also need to modify the structure that you use to deliver your products or services. If you’d like to learn more, I’m going to be teaching about this at my next Making Money Feels Like Bliss workshop for entrepreneurs.

**If you have friends who might find this post and the café example helpful, please share it with them!

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and author of the forthcoming book, A Woman‘sTreasure: Grow A Business Where Making Money Feels Like Bliss. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television and radio, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. She has presented at Rick Steves Europe, United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

Are you looking for support as you find your next clients, establish the foundation of your business, become more comfortable asking for money, and get connected to speaking opportunities?

Would you also like to explore what a $10,000+ contract could look like for your company?

Last year, I found myself deep in conversations with entrepreneurs from all kinds of backgrounds (especially healers, aspiring speakers, authors, and creative professionals). I started to notice that many of them had similar needs and desires, and were looking for a fun and affordable way to explore these desires, while getting feedback and guidance for their business.

Since early 2016, I’ve been hosting workshops to address these needs, in an intimate setting, with fun conversation, drinks, and lots of laughter. Women from all around Washington State have traveled to these events, and some entrepreneurs come in from other states. Recently,I’ve received plenty of requests to make this workshop available for guests from around the world, so I’m excited to announce that this event will be available via teleconference line/online!

The entrepreneurs who participated have had some incredible things happen in their businesses following the workshops.

“I had an amazing and inspiring time at Ava’s workshop. It was wonderful to meet and share knowledge with incredibly empowering women whom I will continue to share encouraging relationships with.

Shortly after the workshop I received a call from a friend about requesting me to be the architect on record for a $350,000 restaurant remodel job, which is easily going to be $10,000 job for me over the next year or so!!!! This is exactly one of the topics we discussed in Ava’s workshop and I know the energy generated from the workshop attracted this opportunity. It has been incredibly rewarding working with Ava and I absolutely love her perspective on life and business.”

~ Eliza Steele, Owner of Steele Design

I want these kind of results for you too!

Another workshop for entrepreneurs is coming right up. It’s a great resource especially if you are a new or semi-new entrepreneur, or you are creating a new extension of your work.

Through this intimate workshop, you will:

~ Learn about the energetics of money (This knowledge will bring a new sense of calm and comfort when you ask your clients to pay you.)

~ Discover how to find your next clients (This is different from industry to industry.)

~ Design the next steps in your marketing plan

~ Consider the possibilities of what a $10,000+ contract could look like for your business (I am convinced that EVERY business can offer something this big, or bigger – even if you are in a healing business, or currently work at rates that range from $30-$100 an hour.)

~ Make money fast. We’ll brainstorm ideas that you can put in place right away, with the potential to quickly make back your investment in this workshop.

~ And much more

Each entrepreneur who participates in this workshop will receive personalized business guidance from Ava and the group.

“Ava’s workshop was engaging and participant driven. She helped guide me to more forward momentum for my business and allowed me to see the possibilities of growth even though my business is in a rural area. Since the workshop, I have made a couple of 2 minute videos to begin a better online promotion of my services as a way for my audience to get to know me and see how I work. Ava and the workshop participants gave me the confidence to feel comfortable about doing this as a way to build my business. Thanks, Ava!”

~ Angela Sidlo, Certified Health Coach at www.AngelaSidlo.com

This workshop is ideal for:

~ Entrepreneurs in industries as diverse as healers to pet-sitters, public speakers to authors, and store owners to women with global ideas.

~ Business owners in the first couple years of building their business, who are ready to welcome more income, clients, and opportunities.

~ People who are ready to start a new career that is based on what they love.

Join us on

Our next 2017 date will be announced soon

This workshop is available worldwide!

We will connect via a teleconference line/online

10am – 1:30pm Pacific Time (1pm -4:30pm Eastern)

To spend this same amount of time privately with me normally costs $1500.

Your investment in this intimate group workshop is only $240 when paid in full

Or choose the payment plan option ~ A non-refundable payment of $130 today, followed by a second payment of $130

We accept PayPal, debit cards, credit cards, and PayPal Credit®

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“After taking Ava’s entrepreneur workshop, I feel energized with lots of great new ideas for connecting with potential new clients. A fantastic day of empowerment for any entrepreneur!”

~ Emily Herrick, Yoga + Spaciousness

We accept PayPal, debit cards, credit cards, and PayPal Credit®

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“I think you are my lucky charm. I have signed 2 new clients today at my highest prices yet.”

“Attending Ava’s workshop was a delightful breath of fresh air. The topics covered were much needed and very valuable. I love how Ava is able to breach very masculine aspects of business in a very feminine way. I loved how the event was very informal and there was a lot of discussion and brainstorming. Every woman had an opportunity to speak and get her specific questions and concerns addressed.

Ava is such a gifted leader and speaker and was able to guide the experience in a beautiful effortless way so that each of us were able receive the most out of the experience. I feel like the relationships and knowledge that I gleaned from the workshop definitely exceeded the price of the investment to attend.

Thank you Ava!”

~ Kate Burkett

“While working with Ava, I tripled my income, found my dream jobs, and found a beautiful place to live in a new city. It’s been 6 months of magic, manifesting, and money!”
~ Goddess Allison

By choosing to purchase your space in this workshop, you understand that all results are your responsibility. This material has been created solely for educational purposes, and the materials provided here are not intended to replace medical or financial advice. Ava Waits of Ava Waits International, LLC provides this information, and the participant accepts it, with the understanding that everything done or tried as a result of participating in this class series, is at his or her own risk. Ava Waits International, LLC shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage or injury caused, or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this workshop.

All payments are non-refundable, but if you are unable to make it to the workshop, you may transfer your funds to another participant or toward another program with Ava. This is available for up to one year from the date of your original purchase.

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and author of the forthcoming book, A Woman‘sTreasure: Grow A Business Where Making Money Feels Like Bliss. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television and radio, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. She has presented at Rick Steves Europe, United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and author of the forthcoming book, A Woman‘s Treasure: Grow A Business Where Making Money Feels Like Bliss. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television and radio, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. She has presented at Rick Steves Europe, United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

It’s great to let business come to you, but sometimes, you have to be more proactive by picking up the phone and reaching out to create an opportunity. Here are 5 important phone calls to make that will lead to greater opportunities for your business and your income.

Call one of your wonderful past clients
Check in with them, and see how they are doing since completing your work together. It may turn out that they’d like to work with you again, or they may have a referral for you. They might also want to write you a new testimonial, which you can share with future potential clients.

Reach out about a speaking opportunity
Whether you are a paid speaker or use free speaking to grow your business, it’s always worth reaching out to talk more about a potential speaking opportunity. Keep in mind that speaking opportunities are not always publicly posted. It may be up to you to think of a creative way that you can support another business or organization through a presentation. And it’s also up to you to get in touch with them to share that idea.

Call one of your awesome colleagues
Have a conversation about how the two of you can support each other. You may want to interview one another to increase exposure, or you can help each other promote what you sell through your business.

Call your “competition”
Often, the people who you think might be your competitors actually do things a little differently than you, and aren’t really your competition. They might even have potential clients to refer to you, and you may have people to send to them.

Call the media
If you desire to be on the radio or on television, you don’t have to wait around for an invitation. So often, the general public thinks that people who are highlighted in the media simply got invited, but that’s not always the case. Entrepreneurs who are featured on television and radio often reach out to the media first. The only reason that I was recently interviewed on a radio station near Seattle was because I got in touch with one of the radio hosts and offered a valuable idea that would benefit his audience. You can do this too!

Now it’s time for you to start compiling the list of phone calls that you need to make, and then pick up the phone. If you need my support, I welcome you to reach out to me to learn more about private mentoring for entrepreneurs, or to inquire about bringing me in to train your employees in sales and outreach.

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and forthcoming author. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies.She has presented at United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

To connect with Ava, and to view article and video archives, please visit www.AvaWaits.com.

Have you ever had a consultation with someone who seems incredibly excited to hire you, and who says that they are ready to get started?

But then…they sort of disappear.

If you’ve ever had a new client disappear, it’s very likely that you didn’t put a few important things in place to officially have that person (or company or organization) become a client. In this recording, I share what those important things are, as well as what action to take if a new client seems to vanish.

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, sales trainer, and forthcoming author. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative sales and marketing guidance to entrepreneurs and companies worldwide.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television, and has been invited around the country to inspire and train audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies.She has presented at United Way, the Women’s Day of Empowerment, Mother Earth News, the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and many others.

To connect with Ava, and to view article and video archives, please visit www.AvaWaits.com.

In my early days as an entrepreneur, I was taught to fill my practice with individuals who would hire me one at a time. While this training was helpful, and I received many of first clients in this way, there was an aspect of running a business that I don’t remember being taught about (or maybe I wasn’t ready to see it at the time):

Selling in big batches, and selling in bulk.

For example, instead of selling a $98 class to an individual, you sell a $15,000 contract to an organization that has already gathered a group of individuals who will find your support valuable.

Selling in this way can provide more income consistency for you, and it’s also a way to support more people at once. Plus, the people or other companies that will buy in big batches from you often have the budget to do so.

Various contracts that I’ve had throughout the years have allowed me to work with up to 240 entrepreneurs at once.

That is a LOT of lives and businesses!

Working in this way meant that I could support a lot of women and awesome men who are creating income for their families, discovering their financial independence, and building businesses in fields that personally fulfill them.

If you’re looking to sell in big batches, and to sell to people who have the budget to hire you in this way, I’d love to support you through one of the 2 spaces I have for new private clients in December of 2015.

To learn more about receiving business support from me, join me for a complimentary Making Money Feels Like Bliss consultation by phone (valued at $250)

It’s easy to book your consultation:

Step #1 ~ First, here’s a link to my online calendar. Find an appointment time that works for you to meet on the phone (or over Skype if you live outside of the U.S.) for a Making Money Feels Like Bliss consultation.

Step #2 ~ Fill out this downloadable application so that I have more details about your business before we meet for our consultation.

** Please note that I need to receive your questionnaire at least 2 days before our appointment to confirm that you are the right kind of entrepreneur for this opportunity.

“Pick Up The Phone!” is a virtual (delivered by phone & online) workshop for entrepreneurs who keep putting off making the important phone calls that have the potential to transform their business and income. (You know the ones I’m talking about….)

In a business, there are plenty of things that you can do to let clients come to you. It’s a wonderful feeling when you find an email from someone who is ready and excited to hire you.

And yet…..sometimes it’s actually best for you to reach out to potential clients and business opportunities, instead of waiting around for them.

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~ Do you sometimes put off making phone calls that you know could jet your business and income forward?

~ Do you have a list of people to call that you just haven’t phoned yet? You know that you should talk to them about business collaboration, a speaking opportunity you’d like to be involved in, business cross-promotion, or a media opportunity.

~ Are you looking for real, live, accountability to finally make those calls?

It’s time to Pick Up The Phone!

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The first group call for this workshop is at 10am Pacific time/1pm Eastern

When you register for this workshop before 5pm Pacific time on Friday, November 13th, 2015, you’ll receive a pre-recorded class on having successful sales conversations (a $98 value), which will help you turn your phone calls into future income.

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Here’s why I put together this workshop:

I’m an introvert who loves people. It means that I do pretty well when I am out at networking events, and I also love social gatherings. But I get nervous making phone calls on behalf of my business. (Sometimes I get nervous even when I make phone calls to reschedule doctors appointments – It’s kind of ridiculous, but it happens.)

Yet when I think back to the times when my business transformed (especially income from my business), it was usually when I made a phone call that set something in motion for my business.

Here are a few examples:

When I was working as a nutrition mentor, I had an idea to offer to teach Traveling Healthy In Europe classes to Rick Steves’ Europe, which is a well-known travel company. They provide tours to Europe and producing a travel television and radio show starring Rick Steves. Connecting with them would be a cold call, since I knew no one in their company. I had to ask my business coach to softly threaten me to make that call, because I was scared. Luckily, after a few conversations with the person who organized speakers, I was teaching my first class at their company.

Fast forward to today, and Rick Steves Europe still hires me several times a year to come in and speak to their audience. The classes are usually completely booked, with up to 70 participants at a time.

Another time, I was referred to a married couple who could definitely use my support. They had already heard about me through my colleague, and all I had to do next was give them a call.

I was terrified.

I don’t even know why I was scared, but I was. It took a good long conversation with my business accountability partner to finally dial the numbers.

After I got in touch with these people, we ended up meeting at a Thai restaurant for our consultations (one of my favorite cuisines), and they both decided to work with me right away. What was even better was that they chose the new high-end program I had just created, and they each signed up to be part of it. Two new clients at one beautiful Thai dinner! I sure celebrated!

The structure of the workshop

At 10am Pacific time (1pm Eastern) on Thursday the 19th, we all meet for a training call to prepare to make our phone calls. It’s on this call that you’ll get clear on who you’re calling, as well as your strategy for turning your new connections into future opportunities or future clients.

Throughout the day, you’ll have online access to me as you make the phone calls you need to make. You can celebrate with me when you finally make an important phone call, or ask for a gentle kick in the butt if you are feeling shy to dial the numbers.

At 4pm Pacific time (7pm Eastern), we will all reconnect to celebrate our wins from that day, and to discuss your business strategies moving forward.

*BONUS GIFT*

When you register for this workshop before 5pm Pacific time on Friday, November 13th, 2015, you’ll receive a pre-recorded class on having successful sales conversations (a $98 value), which will help you turn your phone calls into future income.

My comments on the “biggest sales pitch mistake” were recently published in an article at Docurated, along with tips from a total of 36 sales trainers and business mentors. There are some great ideas in this article to help improve your skills when you sell.

Trying to close the deal before identifying that a potential client actually wants to do business with them. I think back several years ago, when I toured a local radio station. The woman who invited me in no way made it clear that she was going to sell me radio advertising during that visit, and she then spent nearly two awkward hours of her time trying to hard sell me. If she had asked a few simple questions prior to the meeting to determine if I was actually interested in radio advertising, she would have not used two hours of her precious time speaking with someone who had no intention to buy.

Ava Waits is an inspirational speaker, business mentor, and forthcoming author. She believes that making money should feel like bliss, and through her work, she provides innovative business, money, and marketing guidance to entrepreneurial women worldwide.

Ava first used entrepreneurship to pull herself out of poverty, going from food stamps and the food bank line, to signing on over $17,000 worth of business in one month. She is passionately committed to helping other women release financial constriction, feel content with money, and live richer lives through entrepreneurship. Ava’s clients often receive surprise income, travel the world with their businesses, and start signing on new clients at their highest prices yet.

As a speaker, Ava has been interviewed on television, and has been invited around the country to inspire audiences at business events, women’s organizations, and financial companies. To connect with Ava, and to view article and video archives, please visit www.AvaWaits.com.